The Man with the Iron Fists

Reviewed by Ed Gibbs

Rapper turned writer and director RZA (aka Robert Fitzgerald Diggs) helms this labour of love, inspired by the 1970s Hong Kong action scene that similarly informed Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill films. RZA worked on the soundtrack for those so, naturally, QT helped mentor his buddy years later. (Tarantino also lent his name in a ''presents'' capacity, at the film's opening.) Like-minded soul Eli Roth also pitched in to help (and cameos, along with many stars of the genre, and even blaxploitation pin-up veteran Pam Grier).

The story, such as it is, involves our understated hero (played by RZA): a blacksmith who is forced to deliver horrifically brutal weapons for mass destruction in a dark, foreboding 19th-century Chinese setting. Soon enough, a traitor in the village threatens stability for all. Initially, a four-hour edit was prepared of the film - RZA has threatened to release such a version, for home-entertainment purposes, at some stage - but studio chiefs wisely ordered a tighter, less gory, cut to ensure a wide release.

There's still plenty of violence, of course, only now the narrative proves almost incomprehensible. There are flashbacks, kickbacks and paybacks, but you'd be forgiven for wondering where they all fit in. Similarly, RZA proves to be rather underwhelming on screen. Not because his is a particularly weak performance, it's simply that the Wu-Tang Clan man opts for a rather odd, undercooked ''cool'' that belies his character's significance. It's too easy to forget the blacksmith is supposed to be the one driving the story. All too often, he's simply being too laid-back to arouse any excitement in his audience.

More successful are his two big-name leads. Russell Crowe has, in fact, never been better, playing the bawdy but brutal English captain Jack Knife with excellent timing and fine comedic flourishes. His sparring with the lady of the house of sin, Madame Blossom (Lucy Liu), positively sizzles on screen and proves to be the film's high point.

Visually, the film ticks the requisite boxes: the stunts are impressive - such was the pace of the shoot, several cast members were injured on set - and several high-octane sequences are fond nods to Asian cinema of yore (with several key players along for the ride).

RZA even toured the US to help promote the film and its soundtrack. There's no doubting the man's passion, and fans at least will get a kick out of proceedings.